


Love Has Found Me

by ArturoSavinni



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-16 10:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3484826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArturoSavinni/pseuds/ArturoSavinni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short glimpse into Sousuke's recovery period.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Has Found Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [grandmelon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/grandmelon/gifts).



Sousuke grunts while his eyes snap open, afterwards he blinks slowly. His breathing is laboured and he’s lost in the darkness, at least until he comes back down to himself. Or rather, the searing pain in his shoulder is what crashes him back to earth, tethering him down securely to the bed. A weary groan escapes his lips as he sits up, through rather shakily and rubs at the offending shoulder. As his hand meets the skin he realises that his body is coated in perspiration.

This garners him to let out an annoyed sigh. He shifts quietly until the pads of his feet brush against the soft carpeting of the floor. He pushes gently off the bed and turns back to make sure he hasn’t woken the other sleeping form that had been resting next to him. Rin, thankfully is still asleep.

He doesn’t move right away, content to get lost in watching Rin sleep peacefully, without worry or pain, none of the things that currently plague Sousuke. Finally he forces himself to tear his gaze away and moves silently towards the bathroom.

When he turns on the faucet for his shower, he is sure to make the oncoming spray blistering hot before he steps carefully inside its confines.

The barrage of the scorching water forces him into hissing for his innocent skin and muscles, while the relief is nearly instant for his screaming shoulder. He closes his eyes and wills the rest of his body to assimilate to the heat.

He’s in the midst of recovery for said shoulder and sudden flare ups like this aren’t uncommon, but that doesn’t mean they are any less jarring. If they are really bad, it can render him into wondering if putting himself through such intense rehabilitation is truly worth it after all. Surely getting general usage out of his arm should have been enough for him. However a certain voice always calls out to him when he begins this particular hurdle into the darkness. ‘ _I’ll wait for you_.’

Even now, here in the shower, he can hear that phrase uttered from the person he cares for the most. Rin, who is still fast asleep in the bedroom. Rin, who he has come to visit over winter break. The same Rin who knows exactly what to say to push him forward, who can get him to look at any subject with a different perspective than before and who had blessed him with the sight only found in swimming a relay with friends.

This is the first flare up since his arrival to Australia, last week. A frown still settles itself over his features, darkening his seafoam coloured eyes, as he rolls his shoulder experimentally. There is a small twinge of discomfort, but it’s far more manageable than when he had that initial abrupt awakening earlier.

Finally, he slowly turns off the water and steps gingerly out of the tub. The bathroom is shrouded in steam from his scalding shower. A quick glance into the fog filled mirror and he can tell the entirety of his skin is red, but thankfully his shoulder is without that black-blue he is often graced with if he has overworked himself.

His satisfaction fulfilled, he leans down to grab a towel from under the sink. The fabric is so plush against his fingers that it makes him smirk. Honestly, Rin and the small comforts he affords himself with. He wraps the towel around his waist and makes his way back to the bedroom.

When he arrives back, Sousuke is taken by surprise. The lamp is lit, and more importantly Rin is awake. He has drawn up his legs, his arms and head rest against his knees. Sousuke doesn’t know what to say or do, so instead he watches as Rin slowly lifts his head, which causes his wine coloured hair fall to the side of his face.

“You okay?” Rin asks, his crimson eyes sharp, scanning him, making Sousuke suddenly feel as though he is some helpless prey animal about to be pounced upon by a predator.

“Uh yeah…” He replies, before he coughs awkwardly and runs his hand nervously through his coarse black hair. “Just… shoulder woke me, is all.” At this he glances away suddenly not wanting to look Rin in the eye.

Instead he focuses on drying himself off and pulling on a fresh pair of boxer-briefs. The entire time he can feel Rin’s eyes examining him. It makes his skin prickle to life. He purposely takes his time until he hears the familiar click of tongue forcing him to finally turn around. Before he can say anything however, Rin pats the space next to him on the bed, says, “come here.”

Sousuke complies and climbs slowly into the spot next to Rin. “Really, it’s fine now, so let’s just go back to sleep?” He hedges the last word in a question, hopeful that Rin will agree.

Rin eyes him critically before he lets out a drawn out sigh. He turns to shut off the lamp and settles himself more firmly down into the bed, pulling the blanket up more securely around the both of them. However, despite all this, it seems he isn’t going to let this slip by so easily, like Sousuke had been praying for. Instead he tugs him closer until Sousuke has no choice but to rest his head against his partner’s awaiting chest.

He wants to fight against this, he really does, but the fingers running through his hair are so very soothing that Sousuke’s eyes flutter, struggling to stay open. Suddenly he wants to succumb to slumber once again. “You’re going to be okay you know?” Rin’s voice is low, calming, reassuring even, that all Sousuke can do is nod along. “It must be hard, no, it definitely is, but you can do it. I know you can. You’re strong, amazing, determined and more than that, you’re resilient. It’s okay to rely on me a little, Sousuke, when you need support. I love you.” As Rin finishes, Sousuke feels a kiss to the top of his head.

Just before his eyes slip closed for the remainder of the night, his head which is still resting upon Rin’s chest, the fingers still idly brushing through his hair, he hears the clock on the bedside table click forward. He cracks open one bleary eye, noticing that it’s now one minute passed one a.m.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a fill for a prompt list on tumblr.


End file.
